Improvement in step-ladders



. Letters Patent No..97,let8,f dated November 23, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Be itknown thatV I, EDWIN R. AUSTIN, of Elmira, in the county of Chemung, and State of New York, `have invented a new and improved Clasp, for the purpose ofclaspiug together' the main and false legs of Step-Ladders, and other articles adj nstable by means 'of false legs, it being designed to firmly secure them together, and vprevent any possibility of slipping. A

It isdesigncd as an improvement on the clasp em-` braced in my claim, in Letters Patent No. 88,831, on Step-Ladder, and issued April 13, 1869, to me. I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had toy the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters .of reference marked thereon.

To enable others skilled in the art 'to make and use my invent-ion, I will proceed to describe its vconstruction and operation.

1 Figure 1. A represents the main leg,J, the false Figure 2. B, the band, G F, the jaws,and D, thecrank.

I 4make the band B of iron, of sufficient size and strength, and long lenough to receive both legs, one end ot' which is left-open to receive the corrugated jaw (l, which hangs on pivots, shown at E, and hanging loosely, so that it may take a position at any angle with the band B.

Through the other end of the band passes the shaft of the crank D, with a corresponding screw-thread cut on the shaft, and in the end of the band.

The shaft is screwed into and through the end of the band, and passes through the jaw F, (being made smaller where. it goes through the jaw,) thus forming a shoulder, against which the jaw rests, when pressure is applied by means of the crank D.

The hole through the jaw F is countersunk on the corrug-ated side, and the end ofthe shaft is riveted below the surface. The jaw hangs loosely on the shaft, that it may take an angle to the band B, and will be carried to or from the leg by turning the crank.

When it is unserewed, the false legJ can be moved operating in the manner described, and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

C. B. HANYEN, G. H. MowRY.

EDWIN u. AUSTIN; 

